Claire LaBrunerie is a finance professional whose career has evolved from traditional capital markets into international economic development. Now semi-retired, she advises governments and philanthropic organizations on designing funds that expand access to capital for small and growing businesses, particularly in frontier markets. A childhood fascination with the Okefenokee Swamp led Claire to join the UNESCO World Heritage effort in 2020. She served as Project Management Lead, helping revive a nomination that had languished for nearly four decades, and later focused on fundraising and strategic partnerships that helped carry the successful inscription effort through to completion. The Okefenokee became a UNESCO World Heritage Site official recommendation in 2026, joining the ranks of the world’s most significant natural places. Claire has explored the Okefenokee on multiple multi-day paddling expeditions, camping on the swamp’s iconic overnight platforms beneath internationally recognized dark skies while observing alligators, wading birds, owls, otters, and more, in their natural habitat. Claire also serves on the Board of Ocean Grants, and volunteers locally with Give Kids the World. She has been a Celebration resident since 1999 and enjoys spending free time exploring the world, especially with her four equally nomadic daughters, now approaching some 160 countries (and dozens of World Heritage sites) visited.
Exploring the Okefenokee: History, Ecology, and World Heritage
Open Session #3
Tuesdays, 1:30 pm – 2:45 pm
31 of 40 seats left
Faculty
Claire LaBrunerie
Claire LaBrunerie is a finance professional whose career has evolved from traditional capital markets into international economic development. Now semi-retired, she advises governments and philanthropic organizations on designing funds that expand access to capital for small and growing businesses, particularly…
See Claire LaBrunerie’s full profileCourse description
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is one of North America’s last great wilderness landscapes and, as of 2026, a recommended UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its Outstanding Universal Value alongside iconic places such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite. This three-section course explores the remarkable natural and cultural story of this internationally significant wetland, which spans southern Georgia and northern Florida. Participants will discover how the Okefenokee was formed through fascinating geological processes and why its extraordinary biodiversity earned global recognition. The course also examines the swamp’s rich human history, from indigenous peoples to European settlement, its role as a refuge for freedom seekers escaping slavery, conservation efforts, and its influence on American literature, art, and popular culture. Guidance will be offered on planning visits, from easy day excursions to unforgettable multi-day paddling adventures beneath some of the darkest skies in the eastern US. Participants will also learn how the successful UNESCO nomination was achieved after decades of effort and what this designation means for the refuge’s future.